Legal Love
by Emtheunicorn
Summary: Jack never left & Kensi married him as planned. Deeks never joined the LAPD. In a strange twist of fate, as Kensi's marriage crumbles, they meet. As her lawyer, Deeks goes above and beyond to help her through her divorce & soon the boundaries between them begin to blur. The undeniable spark is there, but will it grow into a fire? AU. Eventual Densi. Rating likely to go up to M.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I came up with this idea while sitting here daydreaming about Deeks in a suit. I've been keen to write about lawyer Deeks for a while now (basically since I found out he used to be a lawyer) and then the idea for a multichapter AU was spawned. This is my first Densi multichap and probably my first major AU. This is set roughly some time before season one. Since it's AU, I'll be changing some things around (other than the obvious things like Jack, the marriage and Deeks not joining LAPD) like Nell will probably be there and Monty is definitely going to be around. I couldn't find any record of Jack having a last name (well obviously he had one but I don't know what it is) so for the purposes of this story I've given him the surname Pierce. If we happen to find out his last name or if anyone knows it then I'll change it. But until then he's a Pierce.

I would love to hear what you guys think about this. I've already written the next couple of chapters, and if there's a good response and you want to read more, I'll post them soon.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA or any of the characters.

And for those of you who have skipped the AN and the summary, here's the essential stuff you need to know:

_- Jack never left Kensi_

_- Kensi and Jack got married_

_- Deeks never joined the LAPD and stayed working as a lawyer_

_- There will be Densi _

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**Legal Love**

**Chapter One**

Kensi Pierce, formerly known as Kensi Blye, sat at the dining table gently playing with the wedding band she wore on her finger. It had been there for many years now. There was a time when Kensi would have said it had become a part of her, but now she wasn't so sure. Her only company for the evening was the half empty glass of red wine that sat beside her and the bottle that sat only a few inches away. Her husband was noticeably absent.

The rhythmic ticking of the clock was the only thing to break the silence in the otherwise empty house. It was getting late. Kensi was beginning to worry. She was considering calling the police, but it was probably too soon to be _that _worried. It wasn't like this was an isolated incident either. Jack would often take off without telling her where he was going and not return for days, leaving his worried wife at home alone. Two weeks was his record. By that time Kensi really had called the police – she was reluctant to call NCIS as she didn't want her colleagues to know just how bad things were at home. The police weren't able to do much though. Jack was a highly skilled marine and knew how to stay off the radar.

Jack had only been gone for a day and a half, but that was more than enough time for Kensi to worry. There was always that voice in the back of her head that told her one day he might not come home. It was always the same though. He would come home, with no explanation of where he had been, and promise that it would ever happen again. Yet it did. He would always leave again. If she pushed him to tell her where he was, he would snap, telling her it was none of her business and that he just needed some time out.

He would often try to make things up to her. A passionate kiss, a bunch of flowers – Kensi always wondered how he hadn't picked up her dislike of receiving flowers – a piece of jewellery, a simple 'I love you'. There were times when he showed her just how much he loved her. But Kensi couldn't help the part of her that believed him less and less every time he said it. There were also the times he left her, and Kensi could only imagine which one of his emotions towards her that conveyed.

Kensi heard the door unlocking followed by the sound of Jack's unmistakeable footsteps. She waited patiently as he hung up his coat and walked into the dining room. He walked over to her, leaning down to press his lips to hers. Kensi remained unresponsive. Then they began their dance again.

"Where were you?" she asked.

"Out," he replied.

"Why?" she asked.

"Needed space," he replied.

"You should have called," she accused.

He sighed in frustration, walking into the adjoining kitchen and searching the fridge for the plate of food he knew she would have sitting in there. He pulled it out and began eating it without even heating it up. After a few bites he put it back in the fridge. Kensi knew her cooking wasn't exactly five star cuisine, and she imagined it tasted even worse when it was leftover and cold.

"You coming to bed?" he asked as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn't just disappeared for nearly two days without a word to her. Kensi shook her head. Jack just shrugged before turning and walking towards their bedroom.

"I don't think I can do this anymore," Kensi announced just as Jack was about to step into their bedroom. He paused, turning back around to face her. "There's only so much I can take."

"Come to bed, Kensi," he ordered softly as he walked into the bedroom. Kensi shook her head, though there was no one there to see it. He was gone again.

Kensi sat in that same spot all through the night. She thought about her life and her relationship with Jack, what it was and what it had come to be. She thought about love and happiness. She thought about loneliness and a broken heart. She thought of the grand dreams she'd had when she was little of what love and marriage were going to be like. They weren't supposed to be like this.

That was when Kensi made a decision. It wasn't a decision she was looking forward to announcing, but it had been a long time coming. She knew what she had to do. The time to stand up for herself and proclaim that she didn't deserve this, she deserved better, had come.

She was still in the same spot when Jack walked into the kitchen for breakfast the next morning.

"I want a divorce."

The words were out. She'd said them.

Jack turned towards her, looking her up and down almost patronisingly as if she was a child.

"You don't want that."

With that he turned back to the pot of coffee on the bench and poured himself a cup. Kensi knew she had to be firm on this. This was her time to doing something for herself.

"No, I really do," she replied.

Jack stood up and walked out the door without a word or even a glance in her direction.

He didn't return for three days.

...

When Jack finally returned, he acted as though nothing had happened.

"We need to talk about this," Kensi said as she followed him through the house to their bedroom. He was determined to avoid this. She was determined to face it head on.

"No, there's nothing to talk about," he denied.

"Yes, there is," Kensi argued. "I still want a divorce."

...

Marty Deeks sat at his desk. His feet rested on the polished mahogany surface, but he didn't care. It was his desk in his office and he could do what he liked. His law degree hung on the wall, reminding him and everyone who entered the office of his knowledge and skills. It said 'it's okay. I know what I'm doing. You can trust me to sort this out' and sort things out he did. Being a lawyer wasn't exactly all Deeks had hoped it would be, but it paid the bills. His days consisted of dealing with divorce lawsuits destined for the family court, mostly involving rich women determined to get every cent they could from their cheating husbands and even richer husbands trying to make sure their wives didn't get a cent. Deeks wanted to make a difference in people's lives, it was just that ensuring that the blonde Barbies got to keep the yacht and the Ferrari wasn't exactly the difference he had envisioned. Although, he had to admit, the job had some upsides.

Getting involved with clients was, of course, strictly prohibited. There were all sorts of issues that it led to, such as a conflict of interest, and it was, of course, very unprofessional. But Deeks needed something to spice up the dreariness of the paperwork. He didn't exactly make a habit of sleeping with his clients, he was, after all, a professional, but he couldn't deny that it had happened once or twice. He couldn't help it if the freshly divorced women looking for a rebound fling practically fell into his lap. He kept it on the down low, of course, taking them to a nearby hotel so as not to arouse suspicion. But he was trying to kick the habit. He hadn't blurred the lines between client and lover for a long time now. He was making a change in his life and leaving his past self behind. Being fired for getting intimately involved with a client did not look good on a CV when it came to applying for a new job. While he didn't love his job, he knew it was far from being the worst job he could have. He's worked hard to get where he was. A fling wasn't worth ruining his career over. No woman, no matter how attractive she may be, was worth jeopardising his career. At least that's what he thought before the Blye-Pierce divorce case.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you so much for the great response to the first chapter. I am overwhelmed. Since I got so many favs, alerts and reviews, I wanted to get this chapter posted quickly. I'm really keen to get going with the story and get to the good stuff. I'll try to get the next chapter out soon as it follows directly on from the last scene in this chapter. It's a bit of a non-dramatic cliffhanger. Once again, I would love to hear what you all think of this. Reviews inspire me to write.

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**Legal Love**

**Chapter Two**

Two weeks passed. Kensi didn't bring the divorce up once, though it remained at the front of her mind. She was hesitant to bring it up with Jack as she knew his PTSD still affected him. She had tried to help him, she really had, but the truth was he wasn't getting any better. She was getting to the point where she was starting to think that perhaps she couldn't help him. It wasn't that she wanted to give up on him; it was just that she didn't think she could spend the rest of her life going through this routine. It just wasn't working out.

"Jack," she said, looking up from her plate. She hadn't been eating; she'd just been toying with the food, trying to decide how to approach the subject of divorce. "Can we talk about what I said two weeks ago? I think we need to talk."

"Talk about what?" he asked in between mouthfuls of mashed potato. Kensi sighed and put her fork down.

"You know what I want to talk about," she replied. "The divorce."

She was determined to sort this out. She needed to get out of this stressful and emotionally draining part of her life. She needed to be able to move on.

Jack sighed too and stood up, taking his mostly empty plate over to the sink.

"So what? You just want to give up on us?" His voice was hostile now. Kensi could tell she had angered him.

"That's not what I want to do," Kensi replied, exasperated. "I don't want to give up on you, but this isn't getting any better, and I don't know what to do. I've tried with you, I really have, but you won't go to therapy and you won't let me help you and you won't help yourself. I can't go on like this, and I don't see either of us having a happy future unless something changes."

Silence fell upon them. Kensi was glad to get her feelings out in the open, but she could tell that Jack was not taking them well. She was a little anxious about his reaction. She had witnessed more than one of his violent outbursts, and while she wasn't afraid of him, her feelings for him made her hesitate, and it was that split second moment of hesitation that allowed the situation to get out of hand.

Time passed and still Jack said nothing.

"Say something," she whispered.

"You want me to say something?" he asked, his voice rising in anger. "You want me to say something? What do you want me to say? I support this? Yes, I want a divorce? Goodbye, the past few years have been fun? I won't say it."

"Jack," she pleaded, wishing that he could just calm down and discuss this rationally.

"You want a divorce? Good luck with that," he shouted before storming out of the room.

Kensi heard the front door slam. She didn't know when he would be back, but she knew she was going to sort this out once and for all. If he wasn't going to be mature and discuss this with her, she would take matters into her own hands. She would find a divorce lawyer the next day, with or without Jack.

...

"Is there anything else you would like me to do, Mr Deeks?"

Deeks looked up from the file he had open on his desk to see a fresh cup of coffee and half a dozen case files sitting on his desk and his personal assistant standing just off to the side. She was a pretty girl - young, tall, blonde and trying to finance her way through law school. Working for Deeks was just a bonus.

"No thanks, Stephanie," he replied with a wink. No one could ever say he didn't treat his assistants well. "You can take off now if you want."

"Okay," she replied gratefully. "Thank you, Mr Deeks. Oh and April asked me to remind you that you've got that five thirty meeting with the new client."

"Right," Deeks said, shuffling through the papers on his desk. He wasn't sure why the receptionist felt the need to remind him constantly about appointments, he had only forgotten one in his five years of being a lawyer and he was more than capable of using a diary, but he didn't let his exasperation show. "Divorce isn't it? I hadn't forgotten. I'll see you tomorrow, Stephanie."

"Goodbye, Mr Deeks," Stephanie called before leaving his office.

Deeks sighed and looked at the clock. Four fifty five. If it weren't for this last meeting, he could be thinking about leaving soon. Everyone else was heading home. It had been a long day, but it wasn't over yet. Deeks settled down and focused on the custody case in front of him, trying to figure out how he could get the seemingly impossible outcome his client desired. Soon he heard the sound of his phone ringing. He answered it to find it was April, the receptionist, letting him know his client had arrived.

"Send her in," he ordered.

Moments later there was a knock on the door, followed by April entering the room.

"I'm heading off now," she said. "You'll be the last to leave, so can you remember to set the alarm and lock up?"

"Sure thing," Deeks replied, winking at the receptionist. "See you tomorrow, April."

As April stepped back from the doorway, Deeks heard her muttering something to someone. Deeks looked up from his desk as his client entered the room. He paused for a moment, taken aback by her beauty. She was tall and gorgeous, with long brunette hair that gently framed her face. He couldn't help noticing her jeans that clung to her legs in all the right places. She wore them teamed with a white tank top that showed off her toned arms and flat stomach. She had an air about her that drew him in. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something about her that was urging him to get closer to her. In short: Deeks was swept off his feet by Kensi.

Kensi was similarly taken by the man in front of her. She couldn't deny that this man looked good in a suit. There was just something about the crisp cut of the fine woollen suit combined with his shaggy blonde hair that Kensi found alluring. The sharp white collar, with the tie that was partially loosened, really set off the stubble that graced his jawline. He didn't look like your typical lawyer, but he looked like a damn good lawyer to Kensi.

She was glad for this man as he distracted her from the nerves she was feeling about being here. Jack didn't know she was there, he still refused to talk about the divorce, and Kensi had to be selective about the times she brought up difficult subjects with him. She didn't need him having another breakdown or going off the rails, but she needed to do this. She needed to get a divorce. As selfish as it may sound, it was time to think of herself. She had been putting Jack first for years now, but the times he did the same in return were becoming less and less frequent. She knew she ranked below PTSD as the most dominant figure in Jack's life. She had hoped it would change, but he didn't even seem to be making an effort anymore. Before they had gotten married he had promised to try to work through this and in return she had promised to help him. But there was only so much she could do to help him, especially when he had given up on helping himself. So it was time for Kensi to help herself.

Mentally taking a deep breath, she stepped forwards into the room, towards the man she hoped would help her clean up her life. Little did she know, he was going to do just that and more. Though she didn't know it yet, this man was going to bring her happiness that she hadn't experienced in years. This was the start of a new chapter in Kensi's life.


	3. Chapter 3

Once again, thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed or alerted or favourited this. It's so nice to wake up and find my inbox filled with reviews. Unfortunately, this is the last chapter that I have already written, so there might be a bit of a delay with the next one. I will try to get it posted in the next few days though. I really enjoyed this chapter and it turned out to be a lot longer than planned. I'm having lots of fun playing with the characters and imagining how they would react in certain situations knowing that they haven't had the same character development that they've had in the show.

Reviews will make me write the next chapter faster *hint hint*.

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**Legal Love**

**Chapter Three**

"You must be Mrs Pierce," Deeks said, recovering from his moment of hesitation and stepping over to shake her hand. Her grip was firm, stronger than Deeks thought it would be. He could tell there was some muscle and power behind it. He found this slightly intriguing. He knew nothing about her, but he could already tell that she was an interesting woman. There was just something about her. A quality she had, perhaps. Maybe it was the way she held herself: confidently yet cautiously. Brave but wary.

"Blye," Kensi corrected. She didn't want to go by her husband's name anymore. She was ridding her life of him, and she could start with his name. "Mrs Blye... Ms Blye... You know what, just call me Kensi."

"Nice to meet you, Kensi," Deeks replied genuinely. "My name is Marty Deeks, but since we're going with first names you can just call me Marty."

He gestured towards the seat on the other side of his desk.

"Please, take a seat."

Kensi obliged, glad to be sitting down after her long day.

"I'm sorry we had to schedule the meeting so late," she said as Deeks sat back down in his chair across from her. "I work some pretty crazy hours."

Deeks chuckled. "Don't worry, I know all about crazy hours as a lawyer."

It was true, Deeks often had to stay late in the office to work on a case. It wasn't uncommon for him to make the trek back home at two o'clock in the morning, only to head back there three hours later. Sometimes he didn't even bother leaving the office. He had a rather comfortable couch in his office that he'd crashed on on many occasions.

"Trust me, my hours would make yours seem like a relaxing holiday," Kensi retorted. Deeks tipped his head to the side slightly in confusion. He wasn't aware that this was a competition between them. Kensi's competitive streak was coming out.

"Have you ever been called in to work for an 'emergency divorce' at three o'clock on a Sunday morning?" she asked, almost challenging him.

"I can't say I have," Deeks replied a little defensively before resuming his customary teasing tone. "Although one time I did have to rush back from my lunch break early for a printer emergency."

"Did you manage to save the printer?" Kensi asked, finding that a genuine smile was beginning to form on her face for the first time in weeks, months even.

"Well it was touch and go there for a while, he flatlined a couple of times, but with some expert help from Doctor Deeks he managed to make a full recovery," Deeks joked.

"Ink cartridge transplant?" Kensi asked, deciding to play along.

"No," Deeks replied. "Dislocated plug."

Kensi laughed, surprising herself a little. She didn't normally allow herself to show her true emotions like this. She was always carefully guarded when it came to her emotions, but it appeared as though her guards had been stripped away the moment she met Marty Deeks. It was a strange feeling. She felt as though she had to get a hold of her emotions again, and the best way to do that was to take a hold of the situation. Once she had control of the situation, she had control over everything, and Kensi needed her control.

"Well I guess it's just lucky you were there to save the day then, who knows what would have happened in you hadn't," Kensi said. She was still joking, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"So what line of work are you in?" Deeks asked. Kensi hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She couldn't very well use her usual excuse of art curator after making such a big deal of the hours she worked and she didn't know him well enough to tell her the truth, though she found she wanted to.

"It's okay," Deeks said, sensing her hesitation. "You don't have to tell me."

"It's just it's hard to explain," Kensi explained. This proved to be fuel for the fire that was Deeks' mind. He couldn't help the images that filled his head. Exotic dancer. Adult film star. Super hero. He decided to go with the last one.

"So you're like Wonder Woman or something then," he guessed enthusiastically. "Pretending to live a normal life by day and fighting crime by night?"

"Something like that," Kensi replied. Little did Deeks know, he was closer to the truth than he thought. The thought was a little unsettling. How was it that he seemed to be able to read her like an open book after only knowing her for a few minutes? There was something there, though she wasn't quite sure what it was. It filled her with a strange sense of unease. She knew she had to change the subject.

"So are we going to discuss the divorce?"

As much as Kensi was enjoying their joking -she hadn't smiled like this in ages - she was there for a reason. Plus she was swimming in some potentially dangerous and uncharted territory here. It wasn't often that she let someone get close to her. She had to close off that avenue before Deeks saw anymore of the unguarded Kensi. She had to have her control back.

"Ahh yes, of course, sorry," Deeks replied, shuffling some papers on his desk in a bid to appear more professional. "Why don't you start by telling me your story?"

Kensi took a deep breath before beginning to tell Deeks the story of her marriage. She told him how Jack had returned home from war only to struggle with PTSD. She mentioned the numerous appointments with various mental health professionals she sent him to – they had tried nearly every single one in LA. Then he began to miss appointments. Then he stopped arranging him. Then he refused to seek any professional help at all. She shared the story of how they had decided to get married anyway. She spoke of how she thought she could help her husband, and how she had tried to help him. She told him about how things started going south; the disappearances, the distance he put between them and how they were drifting apart. She told him the story of how she had told Jack she wanted a divorce and the subsequent times she had brought it up again. Lastly, she told him she was worried.

This last confession came as a complete surprise to Kensi. She hadn't realised how scared she was about this divorce – the fear of what Jack would do, the fear of the impact it would have on both of them and the fear of being alone – until she had voiced her concerns. She wasn't used to opening up like this either, but she had been bottling up her emotions for a long time and some were bound to spill out eventually. There was just something about this man that made her feel as if she could trust him, even if she hadn't known him for very long. She was still her usual guarded self - she didn't go spilling all her deepest and darkest secrets to him, or even any of her little secrets – but she found herself sharing more than she would with another person. It was strangely nice. He seemed genuinely interested, his face falling with concern as he listened to the story of her marriage falling apart.

Kensi felt a small tear forming in the corner of her eye. She willed it not to fall. It was a sad time, the end of an era of sorts. Jack had been a part of her life for a long time. She'd called him the love of her life. But now was the time to move on. She had to do this for herself and for him. He wasn't getting the help he needed from her.

Deeks tactfully pretended not to notice the tear that was now falling down her soft cheek. He didn't offer her a tissue. He considered himself to be a pretty good judge of character and knew that such a gesture would only embarrass her. He could see she did a very good job of fronting up a tough exterior while everything fell apart inside. In a gesture that Kensi welcomed gratefully, he ducked his head down behind the desk to reach into the filing cabinet to find a file he had no need for at the present time. It gave Kensi the time to tactfully wipe the tear away and compose herself before any more could form. For that she was grateful. After that, Deeks decided to return to business.

"Now, with the PTSD and the missed appointments, we have grounds for an at fault divorce," he began. "Since he's not actively seeking help and trying to deal with things, you do have the right to seek an at fault divorce. I can get that to hold up in a court. If we go down that path, you're likely to get everything, or at least everything that you want. Car, house, dog, boat; you name, I can get it for you."

Kensi shook her head. "I don't want to take everything from him. I don't feel spiteful towards him; I just want to get out of this stressful hellhole that my life has become. I want to be able to move on. There is one thing though. When my father passed away, he left behind a few possessions for me, weapons mainly. I don't want Jack to get those. I just want a simple divorce"

Deeks chuckled. "I don't think I've ever seen a simple divorce before, but I'll do my best to help you through this with the least amount of complications and stress possible. It sounds like a no fault would be your best bet. The easiest way to do that is through arbitration. Either I can assist you and your husband can bring his own lawyer and we can all have a chat and try to come to a mutually agreeable arrangement or I can arrange for an impartial mediator to sit down with just the two of you."

"Which option would you recommend," Kensi asked, tipping her head to the side slightly as she rested her chin on her hand. Her elbow sat on his desk. Deeks smiled, shifting under her gaze. It was times like this, when he was able to recite of strings of technical jargon and show off his knowledge of the legal system to a beautiful woman, that he thought Law school was worth it.

"Well," he said as he leaned back in his chair, pretending to mull over the situation. "If you think your husband is likely to be disagreeable and refuse to come to an agreement, then in my professional opinion, I would recommend that you each have a lawyer present. Of course it is ultimately you and your husband's choice which way you go, but with a mediator the negotiating will ultimately be left up to you. They can assist you in coming to an agreement, but in the end you're going to have to find a solution by yourselves. Whereas, if I was to assist you, I could make sure that you get a fair deal. I will fight to make sure that you get everything you want out of this divorce."

He would often make promises like this to prospective clients, but the truth was that Deeks was a damn good lawyer. He could make these promises because he could back them up. It wasn't often that he lost a case. Truth be told, he was probably was pushing a little harder to get her business than he would with any other client, but he had no desire for this relationship – albeit a lawyer/client relationship – to end quite so soon.

They discussed the case for a little while longer. Deeks did an excellent job of settling her mind and erasing her concerns about this. She found his words to be soothing. The prospect of life as a divorcee no longer seemed so daunting. She felt like she could handle the repercussions of whatever came from this. There was only one problem. Jack still wasn't keen on the idea of a divorce. When she voiced this problem, Deeks assured her that if she could convince Jack to come to the arbitration session that he would be able to convince him that a divorce was the best, and only, option. Deeks promised that Kensi would get her happy ending, finally.

All too soon, their time was up. They agreed to meet again the following day as they still had lots to discuss, and truthfully, Deeks just wanted to see Kensi again. Though he had only known her for a short time, she was quickly becoming his favourite client. They parted with a handshake and a smile, both feeling positive after their meeting.

When Kensi returned home to an empty house, she found it didn't feel as lonely as usual. Jack was gone again –where, she had no idea – but instead of fretting and letting the emptiness consume her as she usually would, Kensi found herself thinking over the meeting she had had that evening. It was strange how much that meeting had changed things. She now knew for certain that this was the right path to take. With that knowledge in mind, Kensi went to bed early. She wasn't going to wait up for Jack tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

So I'm back. Luckily this didn't take too long to write. It was originally supposed to have a lot more of the plot in it, but then it ended up getting away on me (it's those two, I tell you, they're just too damn perfect for each other) and so I had to cut it short. Hopefully the next chapter shouldn't take me too long to write. I am excited for it. Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and alerted and favourited this. It makes me so happy to know that people enjoy this. Seems as if you guys all love Deeks in a suit as much as I do. I'm trying to reply to reviews, but I've been spending all my free time writing. So even if I don't reply to your review, just know that I am very grateful for it and I really appreciate it. I would love to hear what you all think of this chapter.

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**Legal Love**

**Chapter Four**

Kensi and Deeks met again the following day. Instead of dreading the late meeting as he might have done for other clients, Deeks found he was looking forward to meeting with Kensi again. Instead of counting down the hours until he could leave, he was counting down the hours until she would arrive. He had been working on her case all day. Truthfully, he had been neglecting his other cases a little, but he considered Kensi's case to be the most important at the moment. He could tell that under her tough exterior she was a caring and loving person who didn't deserve to married to someone like her husband. She deserved better. Though he wasn't explicitly aware of it yet, there was a part of him, in the back of his mind, that thought perhaps he could be the one to give her that better life, in ways other than just as her lawyer.

Soon the day was coming to an end and Deeks received the call to say that Kensi had arrived. Instead of waiting for April or Stephanie to show her to his office, Deeks decided to go out and collect her from the waiting room instead. As he led her down the hallway, he placed a gentle hand on the small of her back to guide her into his office. He felt her stiffen at his touch.

It wasn't that Kensi didn't like the placement of Deeks' hand – there was something about it that felt strangely right – it was that she didn't like her reaction. She was only just barely able to stop herself from gasping as she felt his fingers brush over her back. She could feel her heartbeat increasing. She hadn't reacted this way to something so innocent in a long time. It was that electric touch you experienced with a new lover, when everything was so new, as if you were experiencing everything for the first time, exploring, and every small touch sent your heart racing. It was not the sort of feeling you were supposed to get from your lawyer.

Kensi hastily stepped away from Deeks' touch. It was throwing her off her game, a rarity in itself, and she didn't like it when she wasn't in control of herself. She needed to re-establish her self control before she let him get that close again.

Deeks couldn't help the sense of disappointment he felt as Kensi pretty much jumped away from him. He shouldn't be pushing the boundaries with her, he really shouldn't. He had vowed to be more professional when it came to his good-looking female clients, and he needed to follow through on that vow. But he couldn't help the desire he felt to be closer to her, to touch her again. He knew it was probably best for everyone if he kept his distance though. So he walked around to his chair, occupying himself by shuffling around some papers on his desk as he composed himself and got his attention focused back on the law.

He looked up from his desk and all his composure was gone again. He knew he had to press on; he couldn't let this distract him from his job. He cleared his throat, giving himself a moment to focus again before addressing Kensi.

"So have you had any luck with convincing your husband yet?"

Kensi shook her head. "He didn't come home last night."

Deeks felt his heart sink a little as he heard her dejected tone. She didn't deserve this, she really didn't. If he were the one who was fortunate enough to come home to this woman every day, he certainly wouldn't be messing things up by staying away when she needed him. This thought came as a surprise to him. It wasn't on his list of 'things to not think about when with attractive clients' –the majority of items on that list were of a more sexual nature. He was just glad he hadn't voiced this thought. Instead he went for a much more conservative answer.

"Well don't worry, we're going to get you your divorce and you won't have to worry about him anymore."

Kensi nodded her head slowly, pressing her lips together to keep her emotions under control. She was still a little apprehensive about the divorce even though she had resigned herself to the fact that it was the only way she had a chance of being happy in the future.

"I made that list you asked for," she announced, changing the subject away from Jack and back to the details of the divorce.

The previous day Deeks had asked her to come up with a list of things that she wanted out of the divorce, split into categories based on how badly she wanted them.

She pulled the list out of her pocket, unfolding it and passing it over to Deeks. She hesitated for a second as he reached for it. She was essentially handing him a list of the objects that meant the most to her. It struck her as being very personal and intimate.

There was silence as Deeks read the list. He raised his eyebrows, smiling to himself as he saw what she had written. There weren't many things on the list, a dozen perhaps, but he could notice a distinct theme with the items she had listed. The top five items were all weapons, mostly riffles and a couple of knives, undoubtedly the ones her father had left her. There were a few other things on Kensi's list that surprised him.

"The blue teddy bear," he read, glancing over at Kensi to gage her reaction.

Her face was a mixture of mortification and amusement, as if she was trying not to laugh at herself.

"It makes a really good pillow," she explained.

Deeks couldn't stop himself from chuckling.

"It's really comfortable," she said, trying to justify why it was on her list of things that she absolutely must get to keep.

"I'm sure it is," Deeks said, sounding as though he didn't quite believe her.

"I knew I shouldn't have put it on the list, just forget it," Kensi said. She would say anything just to get that stupid grin off his face. Though, if anything, it just made him more amused. There was an outright laugh this time. She was getting very defensive about the teddy bear and Deeks found it all to be quite humorous. Most of his clients were mainly concerned with getting the Ferrari or the house or a multi-million dollar settlement, but Kensi was trying to keep a teddy bear.

Upon seeing that her words did nothing to change his current state of amusement, Kensi decided to take back her words.

"You know what? Scratch that, I'm keeping the teddy bear."

"You're keeping the teddy bear," Deeks repeated. His laughter had now been downgraded to an amused grin which he attempted to keep under control but failed dismally.

He looked back down at Kensi's file, which sat in front of him on his desk, and made a note on it.

Blue teddy bear – essential.

"I'll get you your bear, I promise," Deeks vowed solemnly as he looked up to meet her eyes.

Kensi laughed at how he was playing along and taking this teddy bear seriously. It didn't even hold any great sentimental value, it wasn't like it was one of the possessions her father had left her or anything. She wasn't even sure when and where she had got it. It was just something that lived in the house. She would often rest her head on it during the lonely nights when Jack was absent. She would never admit that she cuddled it. It was comfortable, it was homely, and since Kensi was walking away from her old life, she figured she could bring a small piece of it with her.

"I'll hold you to that," Kensi replied teasingly. "Is this one of those law firms where you only pay if you win the case? Because you know I would consider not getting the bear to be a loss."

"And with the money you'd save from not having to pay, you'd be able to buy yourself a small army of teddy bears," Deeks retorted.

"Not the same," Kensi argued. She wanted _her_ bear.

"I guess it's a good thing that I'm going to make sure you get everything you want then, isn't it," Deeks replied with a playful grin. Kensi couldn't help but smile too. It was nice to have someone in her corner fighting for her.

Soon they wrapped up their meeting, both in a much better mood than the one they had started the day in. Things were progressing well for Kensi. As for Deeks, he was just happy to be enjoying his job again, although it was mainly to do with who his client was and not what he was actually doing. But he enjoyed knowing that he was going to make a difference in her life. He just didn't yet know how big a difference he was going to make.

Deeks stood, walking Kensi to the door. Once again, he was to be the last to leave the office.

"I'll walk you out," he offered as he grabbed his briefcase. "I just have to lock up on the way out."

Kensi thanked him and walked next to him as he led her through the hallway out to the reception room. He was careful not to touch her this time, but he still longed to.

By now the office was deserted and the sun had well and truly set outside. They stopped so Deeks could set the alarm and lock the door behind them before making their way over to the elevator. The law firm was just one of the many companies that occupied the large building. Luckily Deeks was only responsible for locking up his work's part of the building. There was a night watchman that cared for the rest of it.

They rode down in the elevator together in silence. It wasn't uncomfortable exactly, but they both wished to break it. They both had things they wished to say, but neither could make themselves say it. Truthfully, they weren't even quite sure what it was that they wanted to say.

Soon they reached the ground floor and walked out of the building to the car park at the back. It was relatively deserted at this time and was to be their point of goodbye. They were strangely hesitant though. Both had the feeling that they didn't want this to end just yet.

"Do you want to go and get a drink or something?" Deeks as they stood next to Kensi's car. She made no move to get inside it and drive away.

She wanted to say yes to him, she really did. She wished she was at a time in her life where she could just say yes and go and have a drink with a man who was, up until a day ago, a complete stranger to her. She desperately wished she could take him up on his offer, but she couldn't. She suspected Jack would be waiting at home for her, and she should be there for him if she was. She was still a married woman. She couldn't just go off and have a drink with an attractive man whenever she felt like it. Her wedding ring felt heavy on her finger. She knew better than to push Jack. The trouble she would have to go through to explain to him why she was late would not be worth it. Not to mention there was that part of her that worried about what her disappearance might do to his fragile mind.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "I wish I could, but I just can't tonight."

"Yeah, sure," Deeks responded, his disappointment evident in his voice. She was just trying to let him down lightly. "Just forget it, I shouldn't have asked."

"No, really," she continued. "I would love to, but just some other time when this is all sorted and over."

"Alright," Deeks said, believing her words this time. This revelation brought a smile to his face. He couldn't explain why, because it wasn't the usual smile he got when a beautiful woman promised to get a drink with him. It was something else. He was just happy. He could wait. He could be patient with her. He had a feeling that this woman would be worth the wait

"Goodnight, Ms Blye," he spoke with a hint of a teasing tone in his voice, undoubtedly a product of his joyous mood.

"Goodnight, Mr Deeks," Kensi replied, her formality just as much a mockery as his was. She climbed into the car and headed home, a smile gracing her face all the way. Her smile disappeared once she got home, but she would still take that small moment. She hadn't smiled like that in a long time. She hadn't found herself feeling happy for no particular reason in a while. Perhaps things were really starting to change in her life.

...

Kensi returned home to find Jack waiting for her. Truth be told, she was a little surprised to see him there. She had been expecting him to still be out. His face was harsh and angry. He had been drinking. If the numerous empty beer bottles lying around the couch hadn't alerted her to this fact, the stench of his breath surely would have.

"Where were you?" he asked coldly.

"Isn't that what I normally ask you?" Kensi asked, mirroring his harsh tone. He was ruining her cheerful mood and she was not happy about it.

"Just tell me," he growled.

This worried Kensi a little. All of the Jack she had loved and married was gone from his eyes and was replaced by this cold, threatening ball of anger. There weren't many people she was afraid of - an angry Hetty and possibly a couple of extremely violent terrorists were really the only ones on that list - and she couldn't help feeling a little afraid when he got like this. This was the man she had married, he was supposed to take care of her not frighten her. While she knew she could handle any man who got rough with her, she was hesitant when it came to Jack. Even though she had shared her home with him for many years now, she still wasn't completely sure how he could react if she fought back, not since the PTSD had wormed its way into him.

He walked over to her, although perhaps prowl would be a better description as he reminded Kensi of one of the large cats hunting its prey she sometimes saw on the Discovery channel. She held her ground, determined not to let him frighten her. She faced dangerous criminals who were armed and trying to kill her on a daily basis, but it was so different to this. This was her home, her husband. It was supposed to be a safe place. She shouldn't have to wear her armour here.

"Where were you," he asked again in a low voice, reaching out to grab her wrist.

She decided it was best just to tell him. He had to know eventually and the longer she kept it from him the worse it would be when she actually told him. Besides, the sooner she told him the sooner she would be able to convince him to agree to a divorce.

"I was with my lawyer," she spoke, careful to keep her tone calm and even. "My divorce lawyer."

She felt his grip on her wrist tighten at her last words. It wasn't a momentary thing either, his fingers continued to tighten. Kensi's heart raced, and not in a good way like it had done earlier that day.

"Jack," she whispered. "Jack, stop it. You're hurting me."

But he didn't stop. Kensi roughly pulled her hand out of his grip, stepping back from him. With fury in her eyes, she took in the sight of him before her. Jack looked up from the ground, his eyes meeting hers for a moment. She could see a mixture of horror and anger in his eyes. It was only fleeting though as he almost immediately turned and rushed towards the door.

"Jack," pleaded Kensi, knowing what was coming. "Don't leave again."

But it was too late. He had already gone. She was alone again. The trouble was Kensi didn't want to be alone that night. After a day of complex emotions, she knew if she was alone she would over analyse everything. She wanted to get out. She needed a distraction from her solitude, a friend to talk to. So, without thinking about her actions too much – they just seemed to be the right thing to do – Kensi pulled out the crisp white business card she had put in her wallet the previous day and dialled the unfamiliar number. He answered after only two rings

"Hey, Marty. Does that offer for a drink still stand?"


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry about the delay with this. I've been suffering from writer's block (again). This chapter is all thanks to a certain picture of Deeks that I will put as the story cover image.

I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed/favourited/alerted this once again. Before I posted the last chapter I was hoping to hit 60 reviews and now I've nearly got 80. Keep reviewing, guys, I always love hearing what you think.

* * *

**Legal Love**

**Chapter Five**

"You know most women wait at least 24 hours after rejecting me before they beg me to take them out," Deeks teased as he walked through his home, holding his phone between his ear and his shoulder as his hands worked at removing his tie.

He could almost hear Kensi's frustration over the phone. He was pushing her, he knew that. He was teasing her, but it didn't seem to be pushing her away. He liked that. All too often he would tease a girl and she would take offense and that would be the end of that, but he could tell that, beneath the mock exasperation, Kensi was actually enjoying his teasing.

"Do you want to come with me or not?" she asked, stopping his teasing before it could escalade.

"What, where and when?" he replied, worried that she might decide to go out without him.

"One drink, maybe two, at a neutral location in about half an hour," she stated. It was her decision and she would determine the terms of their outing.

"Neutral location?" Deeks questioned. "We're having a drink not signing a peace treaty."

"Are you in or do I have to call my other lawyer?" she threatened. She was teasing him, of course. She didn't have another lawyer, but she wasn't going to tell him that if he said no she would be spending the evening at home alone.

"8.30 at the Arca?" he suggested.

"Make it 8," she argued. She didn't want to be out late in case Jack came home, plus she had no desire to wait around for him all evening and she wanted to be the one who decided the time. She opted not to argue over the location as she had no better ideas for where to go.

"8 o'clock," Deeks agreed. "See you then."

He hung up the phone before looking at the screen to check the time. 7.45. It was cutting it fine. He wouldn't have time to change, but he could make it there on time. Pulling the now untied tie from around his neck and tossing it on the bed, Deeks made his way to the front door. Opting to leave his suit jacket at home, he decided to go for a slightly more casual look. He left his waistcoat on and undid the first couple of buttons of his shirt. That was the extent of his preparation. It was all he had time for. With that, he grabbed his keys and walked out of the door.

Kensi didn't spend a world of time getting ready either. It was partially due to her insistence on the earlier time, and besides, this wasn't a date. She wasn't going to spend an hour getting ready. Instead she opted to ditch her work clothes for a little black dress. After quickly checking her make up in the bathroom mirror, she headed out. She wasn't going to be late after insisting that they meet earlier.

...

When Kensi walked into the bar, her eyes immediately searched the room. Part of the reason was that she was looking for Marty; the other part was just habit. She couldn't just turn off the agent part of her that insisted on surveying the environment for any potential threats. It was one of the reasons she made such a good agent. The lights were low and there were a number of people clustered around the room, but luckily it wasn't too packed.

Almost immediately, she spotted Marty sitting at the bar. He glanced up, almost as if he had sensed she had entered the room. As he looked down the bar at her a smile grew on his face. Trying to keep her coy smile to herself, Kensi made her way across the room to him. She could feel his eyes on her, and the eyes of several other people too. This was nothing new to her, she was often followed by the gaze of interested men and envious women, but this time there was one distinctive pair of eyes that she could feel burning into her harder than the rest.

Deeks took a moment to appreciate Kensi as she walked towards him. She looked amazing, despite the fact that this was honestly something she had just thrown on. He wondered if he should inform her of the fact she looked stunning. Perhaps it would seem a little too forward. Instead he opted for a much safer adjective.

"You look nice," he said as she sat down on a stool next to him.

He couldn't help the way his eyes were drawn to her thighs as she crossed one leg over the other, her hemline rising up slightly in the process. She raised her eyebrows at his comment.

"Any other first date clichés you want to get out of the way?" she asked, sounding as though she'd heard it all before.

"Oh so this is a date," Deeks said. He wasn't going to let her get away with her little slip of the tongue.

Truthfully, Kensi wasn't ready to date yet. She wasn't even divorced yet and she had only decided on this course of action a few weeks ago. However, she was ready to have a drink with some company.

"That's not what I said," she retaliated, a little frustrated at herself for not thinking before she spoke. "I need a drink."

Yes. That was what she needed, something to loosen her tongue so she could slip up even more. For the first time since making the decision, she began to wonder if coming here tonight was a mistake. Then she thought back to the empty house at home and the frozen microwave meal waiting for her. No. This definitely wasn't a mistake.

"What would you like?" Deeks asked, offering to get the first round.

Kensi thought about it for a moment. Truthfully she didn't know what she wanted. She definitely knew what she didn't want. She didn't want a husband who left whenever it was convenient for him, who refused to let her in and left her upset and alone. But she still didn't know exactly what she wanted.

"Surprise me," she said, a slightly flirtatious tone edging into her words.

Deeks couldn't help smiling at her words. She was adventurous. He liked that.

Kensi went off to find them a table while Deeks ordered their drinks. Soon he made his way through the crowd, a drink in each hand, searching for Kensi. It didn't take him too long to spot her sitting at a table in the corner. She preferred spots like this on nights when she didn't want to be the centre of attention. She could survey the room whilst not having to worry about anyone sneaking up behind her.

"One Marty Surprise," he said as he proudly set down a red cocktail in front of her. He placed another identical drink in front of his own seat. The glasses were adorned with strawberries and a small umbrella. It definitely wasn't the sort of thing that Kensi would have ordered if she'd been choosing the drinks, but she decided she would give it a try.

"God, Marty, that's awful," she said as she took a sip of the drink.

"I dunno, it's not too bad," Deeks replied as he sampled his drink, taking another sip. Kensi also took another drink. The second mouthful didn't taste any better than the first.

"What's in this?" she asked. There were definitely at least two clashing flavours in there.

"Not quite sure," he admitted. "I asked to bartender to make something that he thought tasted good."

"Did he burn all his tastebuds off before he created this or..." she teased, taking a third sip. It still didn't taste any better.

"I don't know. I didn't make it, you'll just have to blame the bartender," Deeks said, relieving himself of all responsibility.

"So it's not a Marty Surprise then, it's a Bartender Surprise," Kensi retorted.

"No," Deeks argued. "Well yes. I guess it is. But you know you're welcome to try the Marty Surprise later if you like. I don't normally serve it in places like this."

Kensi laughed off his innuendo, taking another sip of the surprise beverage. She was just waiting for the cheesy wink to accompany the terrible pick up line... and there it was. She mentally rolled her eyes at him. Surprisingly, she didn't find this as annoying as she usually did when men would use terrible pick up lines on her. Sure, she wasn't jumping at the chance to take him up on his suggestion, but she would admit – only to herself – that she found it just the tiniest bit amusing.

"I'm getting the next round," she announced as she stood. "You have terrible taste."

By this point, Deeks had reached the bottom of his glass. Kensi still had a couple of inches of liquid left in hers. It was probably going to stay there too.

Deeks nodded as Kensi stood up, watching her as she walked over to the bar. There was something captivating about the way she moved.

She returned a few minutes later with two glasses of what she deemed to be a much more acceptable beverage.

"Beer," Deeks acknowledged as she placed a glass down in front of him. His approval rang out through his voice.

"Mmm," Kensi replied, sitting back down across from him.

Silence fell upon them as they both enjoyed their drinks. Kensi was just glad to get rid of the taste of the awful cocktail. Although, despite its flaws – namely the awful taste – Kensi had to admit that the drink had done an excellent job of distracting her from the fact that her husband was God knows where.

"So tell me something about you," Deeks said, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

Kensi sighed. What could she tell him? He already knew all about her marriage, she couldn't tell him about her job and most of the other facts about her were things that she kept to herself. Even Jack didn't know everything about her. After a moment of thinking, she decided on an answer. It was weak, she would admit it, but she disguised it with a smart ass tone.

"I like beer," she announced.

"I can see that," Deeks replied, pointing to the fact that she was nearing the bottom of her glass. "No, tell me something about you that I don't already know. First thing that pops into your head."

Without thinking about it, doing just as he said, Kensi answered with the first thing she thought of.

"I can't wait to be single again," she admitted. "Well not single exactly, just not married."

This was the first time that Kensi had said these words out loud. Up until this point, the divorce was only something that needed to be done, the only way out of the dark tunnel, but Kensi was starting to realise that she was looking forward to not having a husband to answer to, to be able to do things like this, go out and have fun with a man, to be free from the constraints of her wedding ring.

Deeks raised his eyebrows at her. "And why's that?"

"Only one question per go," she replied. "It's my turn now."

"Technically I didn't ask you a question, I just requested an answer," Deeks argued. Kensi just ignored him, continuing with her question for him.

"What is the best thing about your job?"

"The best thing about my job..." Deeks replied thoughtfully. "Definitely this."

"You're not working now," Kensi laughed.

"No, but if I wasn't a lawyer I would probably be at home arguing with my dog over what tv show to watch – and he'd win, he always wins - but instead I'm here with you. Let me tell you, this is much better than watching Labrador Shore for the 500th time."

Kensi chuckled, feeling a light blush rising across her cheeks. She disguised it by looking down and taking a sip of her drink, but she had a feeling that Deeks noticed. He was very perceptive.

"Alright, next question," Deeks announced, unbuttoning his sleeves and rolling them up. The hot LA evening air was much too muggy for long sleeves. "You mentioned that you have some rifles your father left you. You ever shot one of them?"

Kensi nodded nonchalantly.

"You any good with them?" he asked, sounding more and more impressed by the moment.

"Not bad," she admitted, definitely selling herself short.

Sometimes she forgot that not everyone knew of her skills with a gun. Most of the people she met either knew because she worked with them and they'd heard of her skills or they were the ones being shot at, in which case they definitely found out about her precision when it came to shooting a gun. But Marty was different. He didn't know anything about her job or her talents that were borderline legendary. Instead he knew about a whole different side of her, one that no one else knew about. It was the lonesome, tired side of her that was the result of her draining marriage. He was learning about the real Kensi though too, about some of her other sides that she rarely shared.

They continued talking as they shared a few more drinks. It was definitely more that the 'one drink, maybe two' that Kensi had suggested. Eventually though they both knew that they had to leave. They both had work the next morning, and so, as much as they were enjoying their time together, they had to part.

"Thanks for this," Kensi said gratefully, turning to Deeks outside the bar. "It was exactly what I needed."

"Anytime," Deeks replied, and he meant it. He would gladly do this again.

Their eyes met. Both wore content smiles on their faces, the product of a pleasant evening. It was this moment that Kensi realised just how close they were standing. They weren't touching, but it would take minimal effort of either of their parts to change that. For a strange moment, there was a part of Kensi that wanted to close the gap between them and kiss him. Little did she know, Deeks was also struggling with this desire. Almost as soon as the longing was there, Kensi pushed it away. She put it down to the one too many drinks she'd had. She couldn't do this now.

Stepping back from Deeks in an effort to regain some self control, Kensi bid him farewell. Her desire to kiss him haunted her all the way home. Her stomach felt exuberant, a feeling she could only classify as butterflies. She had a newfound energy and a smile on her face as she unlocked the door to her house.

The moment she had shared with Marty was still fresh in her mind as she pulled off her heels and flicked on the lights, illuminating the pitch black house. The sight she saw was enough to make her jump. A figure sat at the dining room table, an empty glass sitting on the table inside his grip. It was Jack.

"Where were you?" he asked angrily, pushing Kensi's good mood away.

"Isn't that what I normally ask you?" she joked weakly.

"Where were you?" he repeated.

"Where were _you_?" she shot back incredulously.

Once again, he was determined not to tell her where he had been. He closed his eyes, swallowing before taking a few deep breaths. Kensi knew it was a technique one of the doctors had taught him to control his emotions. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, more like the man Kensi had first fallen in love with.

"Just forget about it," he said, defeat shining through his eyes. "Let's go to bed."

But Kensi wasn't going to just drop it. He had sucked all of her happiness from her the second she had walked in the door and she was still mourning the loss of it. She walked past him to the bedroom before walking out moments later with a pillow.

"I'm going to sleep out here tonight," she announced as she moved over to the couch.

"Suit yourself," Jack shrugged before walking into the bedroom that Kensi had just vacated. "The door's open though if you change your mind."

He wished she would join him, but he wasn't going to push her. She was a stubborn woman and no good would come from arguing with her when she was set on something.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry for the delay with this. University has made me its bitch. Now that I've finished my latest assignment, I wanted to get this done before I get swept up with exams in the next few weeks. This is a little bit shorter than the past few chapters, but I was pushing to get it finished tonight. I'm really excited about the next part of the story (it'll either be in chapter 7 or 8) so hopefully I should have that written soon. Once again, thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed or responded in some way to this story. Hearing what you have to say about the story is definitely one of the best parts of writing. I was very excited to pass 100 reviews with the last chapter. I'm going to try to respond to the reviews that aren't guest ones, but just know that even if I don't get to reply, I still appreciate your comments and thank you so much. Now, on to the story.

* * *

**Legal Love**

**Chapter Six**

Kensi awoke the next morning to an ache in her back and the smell of food wafting through the house.

_Oh no I've burnt the kitchen down again_, she thought, sitting up suddenly. She'd fallen asleep before while waiting for something to cook only to find a charred mess in the kitchen when she woke up. But the smoke alarm wasn't blaring and she couldn't smell smoke. In fact it smelled quite good.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Kensi rose from the couch and made her way into the kitchen. There she found Jack standing at the stove, humming to himself as he tended to the frying pan. Sensing her presence, he turned around.

"Morning," he said with a smile. "You hungry?"

Kensi nodded, words failing her at this time. Jack promptly transferred the contents of the frying pan to a plate and carried it over to her, placing it down on the table with a sweep of his hand as he leant in to kiss her. Kensi found the whole situation to be a little awkward. This wasn't the Jack she'd been living with for the past few months. This was a Jack more like the one she had first fallen in love with. She couldn't help feeling suspicious.

"I'm not going to ask you where you were last night," he announced solemnly as he sat down across from her. Kensi felt as though he was just saying this in the hope that she would return the favour. "I trust you and you don't have to tell me what you're doing and where you are every single minute of every single day."

Kensi nodded again, unsure of how to reply. She felt as though she should be honest with him and tell him where she was. She opted to go for an abridged version of the truth.

"I went to see my lawyer again," Kensi admitted almost hesitantly, unsure of how he would react. The memory of the last time she had mentioned the divorce was still fresh in her mind. "We discussed the divorce."

Kensi neglected to mention that the setting for this meeting was a bar and that he lawyer was an extremely attractive man who she was growing rather fond of. She also failed to mention the fact that the divorce was only briefly touched upon during their time together at the bar.

Jack took a deep breath, nodding as he looked down at the table, trying to get a hold of his emotions before he responded.

"Okay," he finally said. It wasn't a positive response by any means, but it was definitely better than his last reaction to the subject of divorce.

"We're arranging an arbitration session. We need you there for it and you'll need a lawyer," Kensi continued.

"A lawyer so I don't get screwed over during the divorce," he asked, an almost forlorn tone mixing with the bitterness in his voice.

"Jack," Kensi responded, tempted to reach out and cover his hand with her own. She felt that action might give out a conflicting message though.

"And what if I don't want to get divorced?" he said suddenly, looking up at her with a look of desperation in his eyes.

"What about what I want?" Kensi asked softly. Jack sighed, returning his face to the safety of his hands.

Silence fell upon them. After a few minutes, Kensi knew she had to say something.

"Please, Jack, will you do this, for me?"

After another moment of silence, Jack removed his head from his hands, looking at Kensi, and replied.

"This isn't me agreeing to a divorce, but I'll get a lawyer and turn up for the arbitration."

"Thank you," Kensi replied, smiling at him for the first time in months before grabbing her fork and digging into her breakfast.

...

"Morning, April," Deeks greeted the receptionist as he strolled into the office.

"Morning, Mr Deeks," April replied as she looked up from her computer. "You're in a good mood this morning."

"Good night last night," he said by way of explanation as he made his way to the office, greeting people as he passed them.

"Morning, Smith."

"Morning, Owens."

"Stephanie! Lovely morning."

He was definitely still in a good mood after the night before. It had been nice to get out with Kensi away from the stress of work. He liked getting to know her outside the office and he had enjoyed playful their banter. He was keen to repeat the evening. He found that being with her was effortless. He enjoyed that. There was just something about her that made him happy. If he ever needed therapy, he would bet she was just the kind of therapy he'd need.

He sat down at his desk, trying to focus on his work in front of him. He found himself tapping his fingers on his desk. He wasn't getting anything productive done. He glanced over at his phone that sat on the corner of his desk. He was sure there was some sort of international guy rule that dictated an appropriate amount of time before he contacted her. What was it? Twenty-four hours? Two days? Four days? Three business days? He scoffed at the idea of waiting that long. Rules were made to be broken and he would break all the rules for her.

...

Later that day, Kensi sat at her desk in the bullpen with a rather large and boring pile of paperwork in front of her. It was a slow day at the Office of Special Projects and there were no new cases for the agents that day. Kensi always despised these days. She longed for something to distract her from the cold cases that threatened to swallow up her already cluttered desk. Almost as if her silent plea was heard, Kensi's phone immediately buzzed. She picked it up, seeing she had a text from Marty.

_Last night was fun _

Kensi smiled. Fun it was, indeed. She immediately typed a reply.

_I don't know, I think the Marty Surprise may have permanently damaged my taste buds. _

Smiling to herself, she turned back to the case files in front of her, attempting to concentrate. After a few seconds her phone buzzed again, signalling a reply.

_It was so good and your taste buds just won't settle for anything else now? _

She scoffed silently, rolling her eyes. That sort of text didn't warrant a reply for at least five minutes. She would make him wait. Almost immediately her phone buzzed again.

_It's alright. Most girls find nothing else satisfies them after they've had the Marty Surprise ;) _

She let out a little laugh of shock, feeling her cheeks flushing slightly. This caused Callen and Sam to look up from their paperwork to check she was alright.

"The husband?" G questioned. Kensi nodded. Nodding was easier than explaining.

She definitely wasn't replying to this text for at least ten minutes. It was a deserved punishment.

The agents went back to their paperwork. After about five minutes the silence was broken by Kensi's phone buzzing again.

She wasn't even going to look at the text. She was still ignoring Marty. She didn't respond to advances like that, even ones that made her giggle. Though she had to admit, there was a part of her that liked Marty's forward and flirtatious ways. They made her feel special in a way she hadn't felt in years. But she still wasn't going to look at the text. She was just going to leave her phone on the desk. She wasn't going to touch it. She wouldn't pick it up until she had finished with the case she was reading through. Okay, she could pick it up, but only to check that it was from him. It could be from her neighbour telling her that her house was on fire or her doctor telling her she had some incurable disease or from the pound telling her that her missing cat had been found. Okay she didn't have a cat, especially not one that was missing, but it could still be an important text about something completely unrelated to Marty Deeks.

_Want to go for another drink tonight? _

She was tempted to say no, just to teach him a lesson after his cheeky texts, but she couldn't deny that she had enjoyed the previous night. It had been good for her to get out and distress. Since it was a slow day, she figured she could probably get off work early. She could be home before Jack even realised she'd been out.

_I'll go on a few conditions,_ was her reply.

_Name them, _came Marty's prompt response. Kensi set about typing her list of demands.

_We go early. 5.30._

_I choose the place. The bar on the corner of Holsteiner Street by the Greek restaurant. _

_We don't drink any of your disgusting 'surprise' drinks. Beer only. _

_We have a pre-specified number of drinks. 3. I don't need to be dealing with a hangover tomorrow morning._

_I want to dance._

Satisfied with her conditions, she sent the text. Considering her demands would take some time. She figured she would get at least five minutes of Marty-free time in which she could get some work done. Though it appeared it wasn't so as her phone buzzed a few minutes later.

_You drive a hard bargain, but I agree to the terms of the agreement. _

Kensi smiled. That was enough to keep control of the game.

_I'll see you at 5.30,_ she replied.

She figured the conversation was over, but it appeared that Marty was not going to let her have the last word. He texted her again almost immediately.

_Oh and dancing? Any dancing in particular? Are we talking slow dancing or tap dancing or something a little sexier like a tango? Dirty Dancing?_

She wasn't even going to dignify that with a response.

"Come on, Miss Popular," Called said, drawing her out of the Marty-Deeks-text-message-world she appeared to have drifted into as he walked past her desk, pointing up to ops. "We've got a case."

It appeared she had missed the whistle.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you for all your lovely review. I'm sorry for the delay with this. I wanted to have it posted a couple of days ago, but this chunk of the story is quite important and I wasn't sure where to split it, so I wrote the entire chunk. Now it's been split into three parts and so the good news is that I have two chapters nearly ready to go. If all goes well, I should have them posted in the next couple of days. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. I am very excited about this part of the story and the upcoming chapters and I hope you all enjoy it.

* * *

**Legal Love**

**Chapter Seven**

The case couldn't have come at a worse time. Instead of appearing when she was bored and suffering through paperwork, it had to come when she was just about to finish and be free to go out and have a drink with Marty. She couldn't help feeling as though the person who had disappeared with a case of high power firearms from the marine base was very inconsiderate and had terrible timing. Surely they could have scheduled this heist for another day. But the weapons were missing and they suspected they were going to be sold off before they could be tracked. Their chief suspect was a marine named Aaron Johnson. Word on the street was he was unsatisfied with his current salary and was looking to make a quick buck. Greed seemed to get everyone in the end.

In a strange twist of fate, they received intelligence that Johnson would be meeting a potential buyer at the very bar Kensi had agreed to meet Deeks at. So instead of going there to meet her lawyer for a drink, she'd be going undercover to keep an eye on their suspect. It really couldn't have come at a worse time.

Kensi paced up and down the hallway above the bullpen, her phone pressed up against her ear as she waited for him to pick up.

"Are you calling to tell me you're in for the dirty dancing?" Deeks asked as he answered the phone.

"Marty," she exclaimed in relief, glad she had managed to get a hold of him, but less than impressed by his words.

"So is that a yes?" he prompted cheekily. Kensi imagined he was sitting at his desk grinning.

"No, I didn't call you about that," she replied, wishing she didn't have to make this call. "I'm sorry but something's come up at work."

"Ahh that mysterious job of yours," he replied. He still didn't know what she did for a living and he was keen to find out. He would find out what she did, even if he had to ask her about every single possible job and use the process of elimination. "Tell me are you a model train sales assistant?"

"I'm not a model train sales assistant," she responded, wondering why he struggled to stay on topic so much.

"Not a model train sales assistant," he repeated, half talking to himself. "That's a shame that would have been cool. Now do you teach yoga classes for people and their pets? Yoga with your pet... Child's pose with your pet turtle. Plank pose with your cat. The warrior pose with your pet giraffe. Downward dog with your favourite dog. Now that would be a really cool job, although it might be a bit difficult if your pet was a goldfish... It has marketing potential though."

"I'm not a pet/owner yoga instructor either," Kensi responded once his rambling paused. She had to wonder how he came up with these ideas, and where he got his knowledge of yoga poses from.

"But something has come up at work," she continued, trying to turn the conversation back to her original reason for calling.

"A pet snake got a little tied up doing the lotus pose?" Deeks chuckled. He couldn't resist.

"Not a pet yoga instructor," she repeated, wishing he would be sensible for two minutes so she could destroy his plans for the evening. Not that she wanted to do this.

"But something's come up at work..." he prompted, his voice taking on a more serious tone.

"And I can't make it tonight," she finished. "I'm really sorry. I wish I could, but I just can't get out of this thing at work."

"No, that's fine," Deeks replied. Kensi noticed the way his voice immediately fell. "I understand. We'll do it some other time, or I'll just see you at our next meeting."

"Marty," Kensi said softly. "I really wish things were different."

"Yeah I know, I'll see you some other time," he said quickly, stumbling over his words.

"Bye Marty," Kensi said, internally cursing her job and its inappropriate timing. She had been looking forward to seeing him again.

"Bye Kensi," he replied.

Deeks sighed as he hung up the phone and placed it back down on his desk. It was only now that he was alone in his office without the sound of Kensi's voice that he realised just how disappointed he was. He had been keen to go out with her again and now he didn't get to see her at all today. The thought depressed him a lot more than he expected it to. He glanced at the clock, seeing that it was nearing 5 o'clock. He was nearly done here for the day. Not liking the prospect of returning to a lonely house, he decided he would go and get a drink by himself. He didn't need Kensi with him. Maybe he would find some company there.

...

"You're being watched," Kensi heard Callen say through the coms.

She subtly glanced around the bar. She didn't turn around, knowing it would draw attention to her.

"Where?" she asked him, unable to see who was watching her. She had eyes on the suspect, Johnson, but he seemed to be very interested in the glass in front of him. He'd looked at her, sure. Every hot blooded male in the establishment had, but he wasn't looking at her then. It couldn't be him.

"Your 5 o'clock," he answered. "He hasn't taken his eyes off you for the past ten minutes."

"Not exactly unusual," Sam said, chiming in. "But I agree, there's something off about him."

"I'm sending you a photo, Eric," Callen said as he snapped a picture of the suspicious man. "He could be an accomplice. Send us anything important you find."

Kensi took a sip of her drink. It wouldn't do any good to worry at this point, but if he was working with Johnson and she turned to look for him, she could blow her cover. She didn't like not knowing what was going on behind her, but she trusted her co-workers to have her back. They would look out for her.

"Nothing out of the ordinary on the mystery man," Eric said a few moments later. "A minor traffic infringement and a few things as a kid but nothing to suggest he has any connection with Johnson or the weapons."

"I still don't trust him," Callen said, eyeing down the man. There was just something fishy about him. Sure Kensi had attracted a few looks, but no one had stared at her this intently for this long. He seemed to be contemplating something. Callen just hoped that that something didn't involve hurting Kensi or ruining the mission.

"He's getting up," he continued, watching the man's movements carefully, making sure he wasn't going to go for a concealed weapon or anything. "He's heading towards you, Kensi."

Kensi forced herself to remain relaxed, but she was still alert. Her hand went to her thigh, pulling her dress up a little to subtly grab a hold of the gun she had holstered there. Then she heard the last voice she expected to hear.

"Fancy seeing you here."

She immediately spun around to find the suspicious man standing behind her. Although he wasn't so suspicious, he was just her lawyer. As she turned, she felt her dress rise a little higher to reveal her weapon. She just hoped no one had noticed. Her heart raced as she realised that one wrong word from Marty could blow the case. Sure, he didn't know she was an agent, but the name Kensi Blye was known by many. She stood up, bringing her body close to his. She had to keep him quiet, and not just for the case. She didn't need Sam and Callen finding out about her divorce. She preferred to keep her professional and private lives separate. She placed a finger to his lips, making sure he didn't speak again. His last words had been loud, much too loud. He'd drawn too much attention to them.

When Deeks had turned up at the bar that night, he hadn't expected her to be there. He'd believed her when she said she had to work, but then he found her sitting at the bar with a drink. It didn't look like working to him. Initially he'd wondered if maybe she'd just made up the excuse about working to let him down lightly. He'd thought maybe she was there with her husband, but in the end he hadn't been able to stop himself from going over to her. His curiosity always got the better of him and often got him into trouble. He didn't know just how much trouble it had gotten him into this time yet, but he was going to find out soon.

Kensi leaned forward, bringing her lips to Marty's neck, appearing as though she was going to place a kiss there, but instead she had some instructions for him. Her hand lay possessively on his chest, sliding up to gently caress his shoulder before it slid back down to its previous position. She could feel the warmth of his body through his thin, crisp white shirt. Her fingers splayed out in what seemed to be the most natural of gestures. Too any observers, the body language would look intimate, but Kensi was all business.

"Don't say my name," she ordered, whispering in his ear. Marty felt a shiver run down his spine at her soft yet crisp tone. "Don't say anything else unless I say so. Don't do anything stupid."

"Is your husband here? Is someone threatening you?" he asked, worried about what could have caused her to act this way.

"Shut up," she demanded. She was in agent mode now and she needed him to do what she said with no questions asked. She needed him to trust her. She couldn't risk her cover being blown - whether it was her cover as the woman out for a drink or the happily married agent who was having no marital problems whatsoever. It was just too big a risk.

"Just follow my lead and do what I tell you. Whatever you do don't use my real name or say anything that could identify me. Do you understand?"

"I understand," he replied quietly before a grin spread across his face. She just knew it would mean trouble. His next words confirmed her suspicions. "I'm going to call you Fern, okay?"

"Don't you dare call me Fern," Kensi hissed back. But it was too late; he was already doing exactly what she'd just told him not too.

"Fern, baby girl," he said in a louder voice this time as he placed a hand on her waist, the pad of his thumb gently brushing against the fabric of her dress.

Deeks was remarkably quick on the uptake. Though he still didn't know why Kensi had to keep her true identity hidden, he figured she probably had a good reason. He decided to play along, seeing where she would take him. So far it was proving to be quite interesting.

"Kensi, get rid of him," Callen ordered through the coms. "Johnson's been watching you since he walked over. Get rid of him before he blows the whole operation."

Kensi knew there was no way she could get Marty to leave now without an explanation. He was sticking to her like superglue and seemed to be enjoying himself just a little bit too much. Little did she know, the slip of her dress that had briefly revealed her weapon had been seen by Johnson. He was onto her.

"I can't without leaving too," she replied, ignoring Marty's questioning look as he presumed she was talking to him.

"Do it," Callen ordered. "Before your cover's blown."

Kensi wasted no time. She didn't need Marty getting mixed up in this. But it was already too late. Her cover was already blown.

"Pretend I'm leaving with you," she said to Marty quietly, but with haste in her voice.

"Your place or mine?" he asked, tilting his head at her as she turned. He was definitely enjoying this. Kensi had no choice but to play along, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the exit. She looked as though she was in a hurry, which wasn't untrue. She wanted him out of there before anything happened to him. Giggling, purely as her undercover character, she pulled him to her, bumping her shoulder against his. She played the flirtatious girlfriend well, and she had to admit Marty was doing quite a good job of playing the keen boyfriend.

But it appeared it was all too little too late. Kensi had been noticed and leaving was not going to solve anything. Callen noticed a man stand across the room and reach underneath his jacket behind his back, a sure sign he was going for a weapon.

"Kensi, you've been made. Get out," Callen said, moving towards the man who was pulling out his gun."

"Johnson's on the move," Sam announced as he stood up too.

"Stay with Johnson, Sam," Callen ordered, noticing another man stand up and reach for his weapon. "I've got leather jacket, there's another armed guy on the move - green shirt. Keep an eye out, Kensi."

"Got it," Kensi confirmed as she picked up her pace. She needed to get Marty to safety.


	8. Chapter 8

Once again, thank you for all of your reviews. As promised, here is the next chapter. I'm a little nervous about this one, but I hope you all enjoy it. I'd love to hear what you think about it and I'll try to get the next chapter up soon.

* * *

**Legal Love**

**Chapter Eight**

Kensi stepped outside into the sharp evening air, pulling Marty along with her. They were in a small alleyway next to the bar, but they weren't safe yet. Kensi was all business now, her flirtatious manner dropped. This was what she did, and she did it well. She heard the sound of the door to the bar opening behind her and jumped into action, pushing Deeks behind a nearby dumpster.

"Stay there. Don't get involved," she demanded as the man in the green shirt emerged through the doorway.

She was on him before he could even raise his gun, grabbing his arm and slamming her knee into him. Instinctively, he released his grip on the weapon and she kicked it away. It skittered off somewhere near where Marty was hidden. He raised his hand to fight back, but she deflected it easily. She was a match for nearly any man.

Deeks' first instinct was to go and pull this man off her, but her words were enough to make him hesitate for a moment. She'd specifically told him not to get involved. Just as he was about to rush over, her words be damned, he saw her knee the man in the groin before grabbing him and slamming him up against the wall, face first. Deeks winced on behalf of the man – he was a guy, he couldn't help it - but he couldn't deny that Kensi's skills impressed him. She held the man up against the wall with one hand, twisting his arm behind his back as she reached into the pocket of her jacket to produce a set of cable ties. He heard her order the man to keep still and watched as he stupidly moved, causing Kensi to reach up with her free hand and slam his face into the wall again, leaving him in a dazed state and much more cooperative as she tied him up.

Just as Marty was thinking how impressive her skills were – he had to admit it turned him on just a bit – he saw another man emerge from the door and pull out a gun. Kensi hadn't seen him and Deeks knew if he shouted she would turn to him, thereby turning her back to the shooter. So he did the only thing he could think of. Just as the man was about to fire off a shot, Deeks grabbed the discarded gun that lay by him and fired, hitting the man in the shoulder. Deeks instantly dropped the gun, the sound of the shot triggering a flood of memories. It was enough to get Kensi's attention though. Although the man Deeks had shot was on the ground, there were another two men running through the door. It appeared that Johnson had a lot of friends.

Almost in sync, they reached for their weapons. Kensi knew she wasn't going to be able to stop them in time. She dived behind the dumpster next to Deeks, rolling into a crouch and readying herself to fight back. She was fuelled purely by adrenaline. Her instincts kicked in, her training hovering in the back of her mind. It was dangerous, but she knew how to handle these situations.

"Stay down," she warned as she pulled out her gun, hearing the sound of bullets hitting the dumpster.

When the shots stopped, she stood up from behind the dumpster and quickly fired two shots at the first man, watching them hit their mark and send him to the ground. She ducked down again as the second man shot at her, and just in time as she felt the bullets whiz over her head, narrowly missing her. Deeks grabbed her jacket, holding her down as he saw she was about to stand again.

"Are you crazy?" he hissed. His heart was racing. She was going to get herself killed.

"Just trust me," she said, turning to meet his gaze. There was a pause in the shooting and she knew this was her chance. As she felt Deeks' grip on her jacket loosen, she stood and sent one perfectly aimed shot into the remaining shooter's chest. She immediately walked over to the fallen shooters, kicking away their guns and checking to see if they were alive. Their semi conscious friend still lay by the wall.

The door opened again and Kensi instinctively aimed her gun towards it, only to see Sam and Callen appear, pushing Johnson and another one of his accomplices out in front of them. They took in the sight of Kensi standing there with four bodies scattered around the area – two dead, two semi conscious.

"Looks like we missed the party, G," Sam said as he roughly pushed Johnson over to kneel up against the wall.

Kensi scoffed. "More like you just waited until all the work was done."

"You alright?" Callen asked as he pushed the other suspect over to join Johnson.

"I'm fine," replied Kensi.

"I wasn't talking to you," retorted Callen as he jerked his head towards the dumpster. "I was talking to your scruffy companion."

Kensi turned to see Deeks stepping out from behind the dumpster, looking a little shocked and dishevelled. She'd forgotten him for a moment, swept up in the adrenaline rush that came with her job. A look of concern immediately washed across her face. Getting stuck in the middle of a gun fight probably wasn't what most lawyers expected when they met their client at a bar.

"Yep, I'm good," he said as he moved to join them. Kensi could see through his words. He looked shaken up and out of place. She was used to this, she went through it on almost a daily basis, but sometimes she forgot that it wasn't like that for everyone.

"Alright," Called said, getting back to business. "Sam and I'll take Johnson and friends back to the boatshed. Do you need to..."

He trailed off as he gestured towards Deeks.

"Yeah I should stay with Marty," Kensi affirmed. "I'll see you back at the boatshed."

She needed to speak to him without the others around.

...

Soon they were alone in Kensi's car. She had offered him a ride home and he had gladly taken her up on her offer.

"So back there, you were acting like you were my girlfriend," Deeks said with a small cheeky smile as he glanced at Kensi to gage her reaction.

"I was undercover," she retorted, indignantly. "I had to do something seeing as you were about to blow my cover. Besides, if I was I was your girlfriend, trust me, you would know."

"So I was sort of right the first time then," Deeks said, smirking to himself a little at her last words. Kensi flicked her eyes to him for a moment, trying to discern what he was referring to before he explained. "When I guessed your job. You _are_ Wonder Woman."

Kensi laughed whole heartedly before correcting him. "Not quite. I'm a federal agent. I work for NCIS."

Deeks took a moment to think over this. He was impressed. He'd seen a tough and fearless side of her that night that he had not previously seen. She was obviously very good at what she did and he admired her for that. He'd learnt more about her this evening than he had since he'd met her. His head was still spinning from the events of the evening.

"You're not going to get in trouble, you know, for shooting the guy. He'll live," Kensi said, breaking the silence. She could see something was troubling him and she presumed he was thinking about the shooting. She presumed correctly. But Deeks remained silent.

"It was a pretty good shot for your first time," she continued, trying to reassure him. She pulled up outside his house, but he made no move to get out.

"It wasn't my first time," he countered, his voice quiet and solicitous.

Kensi didn't respond. If he wanted to tell her more, he would. And he did.

"My father, he wasn't a very nice man. One day things got really bad. I was only a kid at the time. I knew that if someone didn't stop him, he was going to kill us – my mom and I. My friend Ray had given me a gun, just in case things ever got really bad. And then I shot him. I shot my father."

Kensi remained silent for a moment, taking in what she'd just heard. His words spoke volumes about the level of trust he had in her, even after only knowing her for such a short time. She felt privileged to have him share this with her.

"That was a very brave thing to do," she said softly.

"No one's ever put it like that before," Deeks replied thoughtfully, as if seeing his whole childhood in a new light. "My dad told me it was stupid and I'd get what I deserved. My mom told me it was reckless. The police just asked how things had gotten to that point, and Ray told me I did what I had to do. But no one's ever told me I was brave."

Kensi turned to face him, taking his hands in hers as she looked into his eyes.

"Well it was very brave of you," she said honestly.

He'd picked up a gun, twice, to save not one but two lives, three if you counted his own, and Kensi Blye called that bravery.

He looked up into her eyes, seeing that her words were indisputably true. Marty Deeks was no coward, but no one had ever called him brave. Almost simultaneously, they leant in. They both knew what would happen next, it was only natural, and it was just a matter of who would make the next move. In a true moment of bravery, he closed the gap between them, meeting her lips in what he could only describe as the greatest kiss of his life. Her lips were soft and inviting but also firm and guiding. He reached up to gently cup her cheek as she wound her fingers through his unruly locks. Their tongues met in an intricate dance. Kensi was almost climbing over the center console in an attempt to get closer to him, but he was already meeting her halfway, rising up out of his seat. All thoughts of her husband were absent from her mind. Everything else she had ever experienced paled in comparison to this. The electricity and the passion made it a highly exhilarating affair.

Eventually they broke apart, both breathing much heavier thanks to their actions.

"Do you want to come in?" Marty asked, nodding backwards at his house, his voice husky.

She did. She really did. One thing was for sure, now that she'd had a taste, she wanted more. But she knew she had to get back to the boatshed. She was still technically supposed to be working and she couldn't leave the boys to do all the work. Plus, she did not want to face the wrath of Hetty, or her dreaded letter opener.

"I can't," she said softly. There were a million and one reasons why she couldn't, but there were also a million and one reasons why she wanted to. Despite her internal conflict, she knew that this just wasn't the right time.

"Okay, I understand," he replied, hiding his disappointment. He really did understand and he wasn't going to make her feel bad for it. As much as he wanted to take her inside, he accepted that it wasn't to be. But he had learned one thing that night. There was definitely something between them.

"Thanks for the ride," he said as he opened the door and climbed out of the car.

"Hey, Marty," she called as he was about to walk away. He turned, stepping back to lean through the open window. Kensi remained silent for a moment, working up the courage so say the words she wanted to say.

"Thank you," she finally said. She meant to thank him for saving her life. She could see it had taken a lot from him to pull the trigger, and she would be eternally grateful for it, but she couldn't seem to get the words out. Kensi Blye didn't often admit that she needed help, even after the help had been given.

"Any time," he promised, before turning and making his way up to his dark, empty house.


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you so much for the great response to the last chapter. I'm not sure how happy you're going to be with me after this chapter, but I'd love to hear what you think anyway. Just bear in mind that I have some Densi moments planned for chapter 10 and a big moment for them coming up soon. That's all I'm giving away for now, but just bear with me.

* * *

**Legal Love**

**Chapter Nine**

When Kensi reached the boatshed she discovered that the suspects - at least the suspects who were alive, conscious and weren't in surgery having bullets removed from their shoulders - had been questioned and the case had been resolved. They had confessed to helping Johnson with his plan to steal the weapons in the hope that they might get a reduced sentence.

The agents had also managed to extract the name of the buyer who had discreetly disappeared from the club once he saw the ruckus. But now they had a name, they had managed to find a link to a terrorist cell operating out of LA. It was considered a win for NCIS and a job well done for the agents. They were now gathering intel on the terrorist cell in order to take it down.

Kensi couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that she had missed the ending – the resolution was always the most satisfying part of a case; putting the pieces together and catching those responsible, seeing them get the punishment they deserved and knowing that the world was a better place, even if only by a tiny amount, thanks to her. But she knew that if she could turn back time and remake the choice between driving Marty home and going straight back to the boatshed to see the suspects confess, she'd be right back in her car outside Marty's house in a heartbeat.

"So," Callen said as he walked to stand on one side of Kensi. Sam mirrored his movements, standing on her other side. They worked very effectively together.

"Who's your shaggy pal?" Sam asked. They were up to something. It was so obvious. She hoped they were less obvious when they questioned suspects.

"He's just a friend," she answered, thinking back to just how friendly they were in the car.

"Hear that, Sam? Just a friend," Callen teased as he looked up to meet his partner's eyes. He knew Kensi had a husband, but there was clearly chemistry between her and the mystery man. He thought the world of Kensi and trusted her with his life, he could never think badly of her, but he couldn't help wondering if there was something going on between her and this man.

"Does this 'just a friend' have a name?" Sam asked.

"Can you just drop it?" Kensi argued. She didn't feel like sharing every detail of her life right now. Her good mood after the kiss was swiftly fading.

But they weren't going to drop it. The pair of them continued teasing and probing her for information until she'd had enough.

"He's my lawyer, okay!" she shouted. "My divorce lawyer. I'm getting divorced."

Callen and Sam immediately ceased their teasing, each moving to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. While they had only met Kensi's husband on a couple of occasions, they felt for her that her marriage was breaking. They knew she loved her husband and wished she had come to them to talk. They cared about her and didn't like to see her going through a hard time, especially not alone. She was just so good at hiding the truth. She could go around for months, years even, hiding her true feelings from everyone, sometimes even hiding them from herself, and then eventually it would all blow up in her face. Callen and Sam hated seeing her get hurt.

"We're sorry, Kens," Callen said tenderly. "We had no idea. We're here for you if you need anything."

"I don't want to talk about it," Kensi said. Her voice was quieter than before, but no less forceful. She wasn't in the mood to explain all her marital problems. She didn't want to start talking about what was going on and how she felt about it, because she knew once she started there was no telling what she might reveal. She preferred to keep her feelings to herself. As much as she loved and trusted her co-workers, there were just some things she preferred to keep private from them.

She left the boatshed feeling frustrated and upset. As she climbed into her car, the weight of what had happened seemed to hit her. She'd kissed Marty. She'd kissed another man. She'd broken her wedding vows, and all for what? She felt guilt settle in her stomach. She couldn't help feeling as though she was a despicable person. Sure Jack had his flaws, but he'd always been faithful to her. It wasn't for a lack of love that he was constantly disappearing on her.

...

Meanwhile, back in ops, Hetty Lange sat alone in front of the big screen. She replayed the grainy footage captured by one of the cameras in the alleyway outside the bar that Eric had been able to find for her. She watched for what had to be at least the dozenth time as the mystery man that Eric had identified as Martin Deeks reached for the gun and shot the offender. It was a remarkable shot from someone with such a lack of training. She replayed the scene again, watching the way he acted instinctively once he saw Kensi was in danger. She was a remarkable agent who could take down anyone in close combat, but she was vulnerable when she was out there on her own with no one to watch her back. Sam and Callen had each other, and Kensi had her skills, but Hetty feared that one day that might not be enough. She rewound the video again, playing it and pausing it at the exact moment that Deeks reached for the gun, realising what he had to do and what would happen if he didn't. He had remarkable instincts. He had potential.

Shutting off the video, she picked up the newest file she had created and walked towards the door, turning off the lights behind her. She made her way back down through the empty building to her desk, reaching for the key to her filing cabinet. She opened the top draw and placed the file inside with the few other files she kept in there. Yes, he definitely had potential.

...

As Kensi pulled into her driveway, she began to question if this divorce was really the right thing to do. Was she doing this for the right reasons? Why was she doing this? She felt sick from guilt. She made her way through the dark house feeling guiltier and guiltier by the second. It was well past midnight and all she wanted to do was fall straight asleep and forget this entire day. She climbed straight into bed, not even bothering to change. As she lay down, she felt a warm arm wrap around her. Jack. He pulled her close. She didn't object.

She lay there in his arms as he slept softly. Every so often he would tense, his arm tightening around her. He would awaken slightly for a few moments and fall back to sleep after sensing her presence. He had learnt to disguise this as best he could, he didn't like to wake her, but she knew he still had nightmares. There were images that would never leave him. He could push them to the back of his mind, but when he was at his most vulnerable they would come creeping back, torturing him through the night.

It was like this every night and had been since the day she'd gotten married, before that even. Sometimes Jack would wake screaming from a nightmare, and then sometimes he would remain silent, sitting up in bed with a start, unable to scream, unable to do anything, trapped in his mind. Sometimes the nights would be like this, where he was in a constant state of hypnagogia, stuck halfway between sleep and consciousness, trapped in his nightmares even while awake. For it was hard for him to tell at times if he was awake or asleep. Sometimes the two would blur together, either from exhaustion or the absence of deep sleep. It was nights like this that he needed her the most, when he would wake twenty, thirty, forty times in the night, never getting more than a few minutes rest at a time and never _ever_ finding peace.

As she lay unmoving in his arms, she thought about what a terrible person she was. The divorce was the right thing, it really was, just not for the reasons she'd originally thought. He deserved better than her, better than someone who would just throw away the sanctity of marriage without a second thought. As she drifted off to sleep, her last thought was of the feeling of Marty's lips on hers. She dreamt about him that night and hated herself for it in the morning.


	10. Chapter 10

Wow we're into the double digit chapters already. It seems like just yesterday I was coming up with the idea for this story. Sorry for the delay with this. Headaches and stress aren't really helpful when it comes to fixing writer's block. I've got the next chapter and a half drafted though, so I should have the next chapter up soon. Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. I've left it with a bit of a cliffy and I'm keen to see if anyone can guess what the revelation is.

* * *

**Legal Love**

**Chapter Ten**

Deeks sat on his surfboard as the early morning sun began to show its face, lighting up the city for the day that was to come. He gently ran his hands over the water beside him, feeling a small wave gently lift him up before passing and making its way into the shore. There was no surf this morning, but he still found it therapeutic to sit out in the ocean and take some time for himself. The beach was relatively uncrowded, a rarity even at this early time of day. The occasional jogger or walker would make their way along the beach at their own pace, but the sea was empty aside from Deeks and the gentle swell. He liked to use days like this to de-stress after a case or to clear his mind before going into work, but work was the last thing on his mind that day.

On that clear morning, he found himself thinking about Kensi. The feel of her lips on his still remained at the forefront of his mind. If he closed his eyes, he could almost feel her lips again; the taste of her still lingered. He'd been through this before. The feeling of lust was no stranger to him. He knew the symptoms, and the cure, well. He knew the sense of infatuation, the unsatisfied need and the eventual satisfaction. He'd been through this before, to the point where he could pinpoint the symptoms as soon as they started occurring, but there was something different this time. He couldn't identify exactly what it was, but it was definitely something. He had a feeling that she wouldn't be so easy to get out of his system. She seemed to have captivated him in a way that no woman had before, and that was only after the first kiss. He found himself contemplating this as he sat on his surfboard out in the ocean that morning.

...

When Kensi awoke with thoughts of _him_ – she couldn't even think the name Marty Deeks for fear of the feelings it would bring – in her head, she knew she had to clear her mind. She was covered in a light sweat and she knew a glance in the mirror would show her cheeks were flushed. As she began to fully awaken, the entirety of her dream started to fade from her mind, but it wasn't completely gone. The false memories still lingered. Every so often an image would flash in her mind. _Tongues tantalisingly touching. The feeling of skin on skin. A gasp at his heated touch. A soft moan of pleasure. The constant desire for that need to be sated. _

She carefully removed herself from Jack's grip, slipping out of bed and heading for the bathroom. In an attempt to pull her roving mind back into line, she splashed water on her face. The cool sensation served to wake her up and bring her back to the present, but the images kept stubbornly pushing through. _Her head thrown back in pleasure as his lips caressed her neck. His hands roaming her body on a journey of their own. _She knew that in times like this there was only one way to escape her thoughts, and that was to run from them.

Quietly, she snuck back into the bedroom and retrieved some workout clothes from her closet. She donned them and laced her sneakers as quickly as possible, hoping not to wake her sleeping husband. She didn't think she could face Jack right then. Soon she was out the door and running along the sidewalk. One thing was for sure; she couldn't risk a repeat of the previous day.

She kept a steady pace, pushing herself harder every time the forbidden images entered her mind. _Her fingernails sliding across his toned back, marking him as she calls out. Her head falling, lips meeting his shoulder as he brings pleasure to her lithe body._ What worried her the most was that, despite her guilt, there was a part of her that wanted to let these scenes invade her mind, to explore the possibilities of what could be. Then there was that tiny voice in her head wondering just what it would be like to experience her dream for real. _Her hands sliding down his sweaty chest, fighting to catch her breath. Her sated and spent body returning to earth. _

She stuck her head down and pushed onwards, wishing she had thought to bring her iPod as a further distraction. She listened to the rhythmical sound of her feet hitting the pavement, imagining that each step was destroying another image. She didn't want to dwell on her dream. She couldn't. So she ran.

Soon she found herself at a nearby beach, not having consciously made the decision to go there. She slowed as she neared the sand, letting her breathing return to normal as she pulled off her shoes and socks and stepped onto the sand. The beach was nearly empty, the water desolate apart from one lone surfer sitting out on their board. It looked peaceful out there, but she had her own little bubble of peace back on shore. She was glad for the lack of people around. She desired solitude.

There was a light breeze around. Its salty edge seemed to bring clarity with it, stripping away her concerns. It brought her strength, or perhaps it only provided the reminder of the strength that she herself possessed. Whatever it gave her, she found herself feeling at ease. She no longer felt fearful of the forbidden images and her guilt seemed to subside. She just let the sea air work its magic and help to refocus her mind.

Then she saw him. There he was, up ahead, jogging across the sand holding a surfboard under one arm, his wetsuit pulled down to the waist. She wondered if it was fate that had thrown them together once again or if they just seemed to naturally gravitate to the same places. Either way, it was an unfortunate turn of events, one that would surely signal the return of her guilt. She briefly considered running, pretending she hadn't seen him, but he'd seen her and was heading straight towards her. She had managed to outrun the images of dream Marty Deeks, but there was no escaping the real thing. It seemed the universe had a sick sense of humour.

"You know I'm starting to think you're following me," Deeks said, grinning cheekily at her as he approached. "I can't go anywhere without you popping up."

"Believe me, I was just thinking the same thing," Kensi replied understatedly. His smile faltered a little under her uncordial gaze, as if he was sensing her hostility.

"Hi," he began again, almost shyly. It brought about the re-emergence of his smile, though it was a different smile this time. It was smaller, hesitant, and most importantly, genuine.

"Hi," she repeated, a small smile slipping onto her lips, despite her best efforts to remain unaffected by his presence. As much as she wished to resist, there were just some things that Kensi was powerless against, and Marty's smile was one of them.

"So what brings you here this morning?" she asked, slipping her arms across her stomach, feeling slightly exposed. Though her body was covered, she still felt as though her thoughts were being projected. She hoped he didn't notice the blush that was surely spreading across her cheeks.

"Surfing," he replied, gesturing with his board as though this should be obvious. "Although there wasn't much in the way of waves today, so I just took some time out to think."

"Thinking's good," she agreed, wishing she had thought before she acted the previous day.

She was distracted from her thoughts as she noticed a drop of water gathering at the end of Marty's hair. She watched as it grew fuller, swelling until it was too heavy, falling down onto his tanned skin. It gently rolled down his shoulder, trailing over his skin, leaving a hint of itself behind. Its pace slowed, rolling down his chest almost leisurely. As it met his sculpted stomach, it sped up, sliding its way around the grooves framing the muscles, almost as if it was navigating its way through a maze. She followed its journey, transfixed as it slipped down past the material of his wetsuit at his hips. She hastily tore her eyes away, knowing that, if she watched for much longer, her lower lip would be subjected to a serious biting.

The only indication that Deeks had noticed the direction of her gaze was the poorly concealed smirk he sported, which she hoped was for other reasons. Kensi cursed herself for letting her eyes drift. She seemed to be breaking all of the rules she had made for herself.

"Actually I was going to call you today," Deeks said, breaking Kensi out of her thoughts. "I was wondering if you wanted to have another meeting, about the divorce, so we can sort out exactly what you want and then I can draw up some papers. Or if you don't want to come into the office, we could get breakfast, or lunch later, or dinner."

He was giving her options, lots of them, but Kensi couldn't accept any of them. She shook her head despondently, looking down at her feet to avoid his gaze. She didn't trust herself to be alone with him. The guilt still ate away at her stomach, reminding her of her sleeping husband back home.

"I can't. I'm sorry... I'll call you," she replied softly before turning to walk away. It wasn't fair to leave him with no explanation, and her promise to call him was a feeble compensation, but she had to be strict with herself. She couldn't risk doing something else she might regret.

"Wait," he called as he jogged after her, reaching for her arm. "Is everything alright?"

She had done a complete one-eighty with her attitude towards him. Everything had been fine with them the previous evening, better than fine really, but now things had changed between them. He couldn't help the feeling of concern that washed over him. Thoughts of Jack finding out about their kiss and what he might have done to Kensi ran through his mind. The last thing he wanted to do was to get her into trouble, or worse.

Kensi nodded in reply, pressing her lips together in an attempt to hide the way this hurt her. She was doing a pretty good job of wrecking things between them, but it had to be done. She wasn't divorced yet, and she owed it to her husband to remain faithful to him until the end. She knew he would do the same for her.

Marty's hand fell from her arm. He was letting her go, as if he could sense her inner turmoil. With one last regretful gaze in his direction, she turned and walked back along the beach. Jack would be awake soon.

...

Though the day was busy and jam-packed with the typical chases and standoffs that Kensi had come to expect from her job, she still found herself replaying the kiss in her mind. When she thought back on the events of the morning, she couldn't help wishing she'd taken Marty up on his offer of meeting again. She told herself it was for reasons related to completely to the work he was doing for her, but deep down this excuse failed to convince her.

As she sat in her car eating a chicken salad sub that she could swear was made on yesterday's bread, she regretted not having accepted his suggestion of having lunch together. She imagined they would have gone to a nice cafe, somewhere overlooking the water, somewhere tasteful with nice food, but not too expensive or over the top. Soon her lunch tasted as unpleasant as the sickening feeling she felt deep in her stomach. She tossed it back into the plastic bag it came in, her appetite gone. She couldn't stomach another bite. She was consumed with an overwhelming feeling of discomfort, which had very little to do with the dodgy tasting mayo, as conflicting thoughts swirled in her mind.

She still felt the guilt; it was still there nagging at her, tugging and prodding. The regret lingered as well, although it was a mixture of regrets, of both the kiss and her words on the beach. It made for one complicated concoction of culpability. She wished to be strong, but she wasn't quite sure what she was meant to show her strength against. Should she be strong against temptation and remain faithful to her husband until the divorce, or should she use her strength to find the courage to pursue something with the only person who been able to bring a smile to her face in recent times?

Her left hand felt heavier, her wedding band a reminder of the promise she had made to her husband in the not too distant past. She felt terrible for even contemplating starting something with another man while the ring still sat on her finger. She couldn't help wondering if this guilt would ever go away. Would she spend the rest of her life feeling awful for giving up on her husband? It was a dire thought, though not an undeserved one in her mind.

When she walked into her house that night, she was surprised to find Jack sitting at the table. A three-quarters full bottle of beer sat next to him, and he appeared to be deep in thought. He looked up as he heard her toss her keys into the bowl beside the door. He seemed tired, dark circles framing his under eye area, and aged well beyond his years. He didn't look healthy. He didn't look well. He looked torn up and broken, beaten down time and time again by the cruel hand of the universe.

"Sit down."

It was a simple request, fair enough and spoken without any sort of demand or harshness. After a moment's hesitation, Kensi obliged, concern filling her face. This was completely out of the ordinary for them, a stark contrast to their usual routine of avoidance and arguments.

Jack waited for a minute to compose himself, deciding how to begin. He had to find the right words for her. She deserved that much. He took a deep breath, sighing as he exhaled before speaking the words Kensi had waited for for so long, yet they were also the words she had expected she might never hear.

"I want to tell you where I've been going when I leave."


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I am completely overwhelmed by the response to this story. I was going to keep this for a few more days until ch12 is finished, but I'm super stressed at the moment (exam tomorrow - arghh) and I needed a distraction. There's no Deeks in this chapter, it's just a Jack/Kensi (Jensi? Jansi? Kack? Keck? Jacksi? Suggestions welcome, I feel like they need a ship name) scene. I've really come to adore Jack while writing this. I've got a bit of a soft spot for him. Hopefully you don't all hate him after this. Anyway I promise that we will get some Deeks in the next chapter. Lots of Deeks. Definitely a _lot_ of Deeks - if you knew what I had planned you'd be smirking just like I am right now.

One of you managed to guess what happens in this chapter, so well done (you know who you are). There were a few other interesting theories too, and a lot of hatred for cliffhangers. I was also asked by someone when the major moment I mentioned in an AN a few chapters ago is (I believe I said it would be ch10). Due to my incessant rambling and extra scenes I've thrown in, it's been pushed back. See my above note on Deeks.

Anyway, please send me reviews so I can distract myself before my exam tomorrow by reading them. Cliffhanger question of the day: where will Kensi go?

* * *

**Legal Love**

**Chapter Eleven**

Kensi nodded slowly, her eyes drifting down to the table before meeting his once again. An air of impending tension seemed to hang over them. Kensi had questioned Jack about his absences on many occasions and he only seemed to close off to her in response. She couldn't shake the feeling that this admission was going to impact her life in a big way.

"Why now?" she asked softly. He'd been determined to keep the details his mystery disappearances from her thus far. It seemed strange that he wanted to share this with her all of a sudden. She wondered what was responsible for his change of heart.

"I've been thinking, about what you asked me, about the divorce," he began, placing his hands on the table. "I still don't think it's the right thing to do. I don't want to give up on this, on us."

Kensi was about to argue when Jack cut her off, speaking again. He needed her to stay quiet and listen to him. He had to get this out.

"I acknowledge that there are problems in our relationship, but I want to work through them. I know it won't be easy, but I love you."

Kensi's heart seemed to skip a beat at that moment, but not in the typical naive young love type of way it often seemed to be associated with. These words were not unfamiliar to her, but it had been a long time since Jack had said them to her with such honesty. It was a comforting and familiar feeling, like being covered with a childhood blanket and drifting off to sleep.

"What we have is special and I don't want to throw it away."

She remained silent, letting him talk. He was speaking freely and openly for the first time in months and she was hesitant to do anything that might change his mood. His words touched her again with their sincerity. She had no reason to doubt him when he spoke like this, and despite what years of a stressful and secretive marriage had taught her, she believed him unreservedly.

"I know that, if we're going to make this work, we need to be honest with each other. So, in the spirit of full disclosure, I want to tell you where I've been going."

He paused for a moment, taking a second to gather himself. He knew what he was about to say would either make or break them. He was hesitant to jeopardise the greatest thing he had in his life, but he knew she needed to know the truth if they were ever going to work through this. His marriage was hanging on the edge of a cliff, ready to topple at any moment. He just hoped it wouldn't fall and crash.

"I've been seeing a woman," he finally said, looking up from the table to see his wife's reaction. His eyes were somber and full of regret. Hers only showed hurt and betrayed.

"And by seeing you mean..." Kensi began, trying to comprehend what he had just said. A foolish, naive and optimistic part of her hoped this woman was a shrink he was seeing to help himself, but her more dominant and rational side told her this couldn't be true.

"I've been sleeping with her," he confirmed, looking down at the table in shame and regret.

It was out. Kensi pressed her lips together, looking down at the table in an attempt to hold back the tears. She'd spent many a long, lonely, sleepless night wondering what he was doing. Most of the scenes her mind conjured up involved him lying in a gutter shivering or passed out on the side of the road, lost in a large forest or being held at gunpoint as a common criminal mugged him. She'd imagined him beaten and broken, bleeding out in an alleyway. Her mental images had not been kind to him, or her. She'd cried for him, terrified about what might have happened to him and wishing for nothing more than to have him home safe. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that he was in some other woman's bed.

"Why..." she eventually asked. It was perhaps the most cliché question she could have asked, but it was the only thing her shocked mind could come up with. She was still trying to process his confession. She'd heard his words loud and clear, but the full effect of them hadn't quite sunken in yet.

Jack faltered for a moment, wondering how he could possibly find the words to justify this to her. He couldn't even justify it to himself. She deserved better.

"Does she know about..." Kensi started, unable to finish. It appeared Jack had stolen her ability to create complete sentences. It probably lay crushed on the ground somewhere along with her heart.

"She knows I'm married, yes," Jack answered, wishing desperately that he could do something to cleanse the heartbroken look from her face and hating himself for being the one to put it there.

"And the other stuff..."

"She suspects that I've got something going on, but I haven't told her about my... disorder. We don't really talk much."

Kensi couldn't stop the silent sob that overcame her at his words. She looked away, pushing her lips together even tighter until it was physically painful. So it was just a physical thing. This came as no consolation to her. It still hurt like a knife to the stomach, or perhaps a gunshot to the heart. She reached up and used one finger to wipe away the moisture that was pooling in the corner of her eyes in an attempt to retain some dignity. She couldn't cry in front of him. She wouldn't let him do this to her, not after all he'd already done. She wouldn't let him see her fall.

This woman was getting the marriage she herself so desperately desired; she was getting Jack free from him demons. While Kensi remained at home desperately trying to give her husband the help he needed, he was out there sharing himself with another woman. She got to experience the Jack that Kensi had first fallen in love with, the handsome, carefree and polite gentleman she had first met. The one who took care of her, even though he knew she was more than capable of doing so herself. He was the one who would surprise her with a romantic gesture, no matter how cheesy or cliché. The one who captured her heart and promised to take care of it. He was the one.

It didn't seem fair that Kensi should only get Jack's troubled side. When she'd married him, she'd signed on for everything, the good days and the bad. In sickness and in health, 'til death do us part. She'd known that from the start and embraced it. Even when he'd returned from war a changed man, she'd never even considered leaving him for a moment. It was just a bump on their journey, something that they would work through and be stronger for it in the end. What she hadn't agreed to was inviting a third person into the marriage, another woman. She hadn't agreed to him giving the good times away to someone else, living them without her, and leaving her to deal with the tough times alone. This wasn't what marriage was supposed to be like. No one had told her it would be like this. No one had told her it would hurt so much.

"I want you to know that I'm breaking things off with Jessica," Jack said softly, reaching across the table for her hand. It was a gesture that was met with hostility.

"I don't want to know her name," Kensi snapped, pulling her hand away like she had been burned.

Jessica. This woman had a name. She was no longer just a woman; she was Jessica. Kensi couldn't stop her mind from coming up with images of what this woman, this Jessica, might look like. Was she blonde? Short? Tall? Kensi bet she was younger. Kensi wasn't, by any means, insecure about her looks. While she wasn't overly narcissistic about them, the number of ops that had been successful thanks to her looks and a fancy dress did give her ego a fairly healthy boost. But she still couldn't help wondering what this woman had that she didn't. What did she do that she, Kensi, didn't?

That was when her hurt started to manifest itself into rage. All of her previous guilt lay long forgotten, a distant memory from the past. Her sorrow was swiftly becoming buried under the growing disdain for her husband it was overcoming her.

"How could you?" she accused, standing up and pushing her chair back roughly. Jack knew from the fury on her face that that was the moment their marriage broke.

"Here I was feeling guilty and you..." she continued to yell, furious at him for what he did and at herself for not realising.

Jack didn't have time to question her on what she had to be guilty about. She was already storming off towards the door. She grabbed her car keys and walked out of the house without another word, slamming the door behind her. It was only when she was alone inside the confines of her car that she allowed herself to stop and think. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she had to go somewhere. She turned the key in the ignition before looking down at her hand. For the first time in the three years it had sat there, the wedding ring looked wrong. It no longer symbolised the undying love of her husband. It only represented lies. She roughly pulled the ring off and slammed it down on the center console, no longer caring what happened to it. It slid off easily with no resistance. She figured there was probably some hidden meaning in that, like if this marriage was meant to work the ring would have put up a fight, but she wasted no time pondering upon this. Centring herself with a deep controlled breath, she looked up to the road in front of her, preparing herself to continue on. As far as she was concerned, she was no longer married.


End file.
